Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Just write them

I had been searching all the "normal" genealogy sites and really not finding much of anything. I finally did a google search for Knute and Aslaug (Thimrud) Roundal. I found them on a site called the "Norwegian Statehood Pioneer project, Celebrating Minnesota Norwegian Pioneers" I went to the site, and yup, there they were! Of course I ordered the book they had put together and it has their name in it. Nothing more about them. However, the book has so much information on other families and what their life was like coming to the states and starting over in America. Its very interesting!

Anyway... I emailed the "contact us" link asking if they could put me in contact with the person who sent in my GGGrandparents names. The very next day I got an email from ST in Minnesota! She is friends with the person I contacted on the Norwegian statehood project! Aslaug and Knute are her GGrandparents!

From ST's email-

"Knute and Aslaug had 5 children. Knute, Ingeborg (ST's Grandmother), Amund, Tomina, and Ole (my ggrandfather). Ole was confirmed at Concordia Lutheran Church and is on one of the confirmation pictures that is on line at Concordianews.org."

(the names are not in the same order as the people in the picture-I think Ole is on the back row towards the center...still contemplating it though)

More from ST's email-

" So, Knute and Aslaug came to Houston, Minnesota from Telemark, Norway in 1874. They moved to Averill, Minnesota by wagon with Ingeborg and Amund in 1875 according to one family source. Knute the son stayed in Norway with his grandparents and his uncle, but later came to the United States. Knute the father had a homestead near Averill. Aslaug died in Flowing township April 5, 1893. On her stone it reads that she was born in Molands Presleyjeld Norway October 17, 1834. Knute the father went to Canada with his son Knute to look for gold after his wife died. He died in Canada and Knute the son returned to Averill alone. Knute the son later sold his homestead to my mother's parents and went out west. They ended up living in the state of Washington."

Im still processing this information, and doing some searching on Chronicling America to try to find something, but no luck yet. St said she would send me what she has and a picture of Aslaug's gravestone when school is out, she is a public school librarian.

I'm sure several brick walls are in store with this information, but for now I will "happy dance" with the enlightenment and contact with someone from my G'pa Randalls family :)